Something to think about

God’s Purpose or Mine?
He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side . . . —Mark 6:45
We tend to think that if Jesus Christ compels us to do something and we are obedient to Him, He will lead us to great success. We should never have the thought that our dreams of success are God’s purpose for us. In fact, His purpose may be exactly the opposite.

We have the idea that God is leading us toward a particular end or a desired goal, but He is not. The question of whether or not we arrive at a particular goal is of little importance, and reaching it becomes merely an episode along the way. What we see as only the process of reaching a particular end, God sees as the goal itself.

What is my vision of God’s purpose for me? Whatever it may be, His purpose is for me to depend on Him and on His power now. If I can stay calm, faithful, and unconfused while in the middle of the turmoil of life, the goal of the purpose of God is being accomplished in me. God is not working toward a particular finish— His purpose is the process itself.

What He desires for me is that I see "Him walking on the sea" with no shore, no success, nor goal in sight, but simply having the absolute certainty that everything is all right because I see "Him walking on the sea" ( Mark 6:49 ).

It is the process, not the outcome, that is glorifying to God. God’s training is for now, not later. His purpose is for this very minute, not for sometime in the future. We have nothing to do with what will follow our obedience, and we are wrong to concern ourselves with it. What people call preparation, God sees as the goal itself.

God’s purpose is to enable me to see that He can walk on the storms of my life right now. If we have a further goal in mind, we are not paying enough attention to the present time. However, if we realize that moment-by-moment obedience is the goal, then each moment as it comes is precious.
Oswald Chambers

Can you believe this

Today I was sweeping my kitchen floor and then I saw a little piece of grass... GROWING. "No way," I thought. Yep. There it grew, under my water barrel. I couldn't believe it!

I looked a little farther down and found it was a popcorn kernel that got trapped under there, with all that moisture, and it sprouted!

Did I mention, I am a fabulous housekeeper? ;)

no news is good news

Let's see? Something to write about? Hmmm... we'll there is simply no news.

Here is a stream of conscience...

It's cool- 70. Corn is STILL knee high. Children are continuing to grow. Weston is writing a lot more and happily, which is amazing. Sierra is babbling a lot more!- still no words. I am in contact with a speech therapist and we are working on her talking.

Home schooling is slow. Not motivated to start all the way. Still feeling my way around.

Peter is still teaching two classes. I still wash 3 loads of dishes a day and I am still in my pajamas. It's 5pm- sad. I finished doing the laundry so that I can change my clothes. My laundry machine is breaking. My camera is broken. I can't take pictures so my blog will be even more boring than this terrible post.

ha ha. I am silly... sorry for wasting that 30 seconds of your life.... thanks for reading.

Tomorrow I will write some of what I've been reading about culture. Can't do it today... pajamas don't inspire good writing habits, or life habits either for that matter.

weeds---

I haven't been a good gardener this year! I haven't weeded my garden. It is amazing how weeds grow. If vegetables grew that fast, there wouldn't be one hungry person on the earth!

This morning it was cooler, so I went out to weed- to actually UNCOVER some of my plants. I was struck again how this is a great illustration to my spiritual life.

Often I am lazy, not reading the Bible, praying, memorizing the Word. I think oh, it's fine. I know that I am still growing.

My garden so clearly illustrates how doing nothing, isn't really nothing. It is neglect. The good will be overtaken with weeds... the little seeds of faith will be choked out. My sinful mind will overtake the baby plants of love, joy, gentleness, self control. I will be overrun.

I lie to myself and think, "oh it's fine...the field is just empty.... not so- it is filling with weeds."

Guess what we had for dinner?

Green beans (and Thai casserole)--- they were so good. My garden is SLOWLY growing. I bought these at the market. I made them the Bunnell way steamed with chopped onion, butter and salt. SO GOOD!

We haven't seen anything but cabbage and carrots for awhile, so we all ate our greens first, like candy!

Guess what we're having tomorrow? Broccoli!

Introducing...Sierra Pixie

I think it suits her high swinging, rough housing, and bubbly personality. I didn't style her hair... it is just that thick and beautiful!

Sierra's hair is always a mess, partially because I am lazy about it and partially because she runs and hides every time I get a brush. She rips out all rubberbands and rubs out every style or even just a ponytail. There is always all manner of goo in her hair and today at the end of our playdough extravaganza there was a blob of that in there and that sealed it. I got the scissors.

I think I put the blunt in blunt cut! I got this idea this morning--- a blunt cut for Sierra. I pushed it out of my mind. Then later I thought about it again and five minutes later I was cutting her hair. http://www.hairfinder.com/techniques/blunthaircut.htm This site had great instructions and wa-la a new cut for our girl.

The first direction said, around chin length. I sat Sierra at the table with some toys, some play dough and a bottle of water. I separated it and pinned it up, I brushed in some conditioner so that I could get through the tangles.... and I snipped- a lot shorter than I had planned.... AHHH!!! Right then I got the feeling I was crazy and almost stopped, but I couldn't. I snipped and snipped. She got tired of playing. I got her a snack. She got tired of eating, and I got a movie. I put it on and finished the job. It's not perfect and the bangs are a little short, but at least we can see her eyes again!

Sad

A few weeks ago, I hired some house help. I spend 4-5 hours in the kitchen a day and 1-2 hours a day on different chores here. So with homeschooling starting, I thought it would be a good idea to get some help. Then the girl from next door showed up. She just graduated from high school and needs money for college. Perfect.

So the first week started up a bit bumpy... she was SLOW and wouldn't do what I asked. So I decided training was in order. I wrote a list and discussed my expectations with her. Since then she has done a great job. I was so happy.

Then my perfume disappeared. Well I'm a scatterbrain, so I didn't jump to conclusions. But it hasn't turned up, now two weeks later. Then yesterday, I forgot to put away my wallet (couldn't find it) and then during her time here, I found it and there was money missing. Again, I tried to not jump to conclusions. I wasn't sure so I discussed it with Peter when he came home. He and I went over the money together and I am sure I was there.

I was so sad yesterday. I really want/need help, but I don't want to be constantly looking over my shoulder or watching her like a hawk. That is more trouble than help. I'd rather wash the floor myself. ;)

It makes me sad on many different levels. I cannot understand the Mongolian mindset that stealing is OK as long as you don't get caught. If I were in her position, the only employed person in her household and really wanting to move to the city to go to college, I would be trying to be the best employee possible. I would not want to bite the hand that feeds me, so to speak.

I was thinking, "wow, she is doing a great job. I could recommend her to another family in the city." I knew most of her money was going to her family, and I was thinking of giving her a gift at the end of the summer to help her with college. Now I'm not even sure if I'll let her back in the house.

I realized today, it makes me sad on another level.... it points out my loneliness. I am here and if I cannot trust anyone, I am utterly alone! It is not a nice thought. It is also not true, there are people that I can trust--- I just don't know where they are yet. :)

Today when I hung up with my mom on skype, my loneliness was so clear to me... I laid down on the ground and cried.

It is sad, but not the end of the world. I am glad to put my finger on why yesterday's breech of trust was so upsetting---- it is lonely in a world with no trust.

So as I laid there on the ground behind the couch crying, hiding from my kids, I turned to God. Only God can make our hard times here make sense. He is working everything out. He is the righteous Judge. He is the gracious Savior.

Then my kids came--- Weston said, "My why are you sniffing?" I told him I wanted him to brush my hair and get my pillow. He LOVES playing barber. So I laid there on my wonderful pillow that I got for mother's day and for which I am so thankful daily, and dried my tears and let my wonderful children comfort me. Weston brushed my hair, "perfectly straight and slow because I am a gentle barber!" and Sierra sat on my pack and pounded around. I imagined it was a massage! The truth of the matter came to me again. I am not alone, my kids are here!

While I lay there blubbering like a child and hiding my tears from my dear children. I thought, "What can redeem this day and how can I entertain my children?" The word came to me like a lighting bolt.... PLAYDOUGH!

We haven't had playdough in a while. I knew it would entertain them while I did dishes. So I gave them each a bowl and we made some. Sierra's is yellow and Weston's was, "all the colors of the rainbow" now it is brown!!! It was fun to make it and then not care if it all got swished into one brown blob. (for some reason, I cannot allow this with store bought playdough)

Another great benefit to homemade--- Sierra can play with it too because there is so much salt in it that even she (the poison drinker/pill eater) couldn't choke it down!

1 cup flour

1/2 salt

1 teaspoon cream of tartar or alum (makes it smooth)

1/2 teaspoon of water

and food coloring.

The recipe for a saved day!!! :)

Swing Set Fun!

Sierra taught herself to swing all by herself. She can go so high- what a daredevil. Last week she was crying and I looked out the window to see her hanging from the top of the swing set! She climbed up by herself!

Eternal Love Church

This weekend while I was in UB, Peter and the kids went to church.

The church read I Timothy 3 about elders and deacons and then nominated the people they thought would be good and now we have a church leadership team. Just like that!

It was a little abrubt and not very American in style(which is probably good!), and it is an exciting step towards a leadership team that we are envisioning. We hope that these now that they are leadership will be interested in leadership training to deepen their faith and grow as a body. Please pray for these that have been nominated.

They also decided to collect an offering by putting a box in the back. They decided to use the money to help people that are in the hospital.

BIG DECISIONS!

Home Again Home Again

A nice weekend away-
18 hours on the trans-Siberian railroad
7 hours of shopping for supplies
12 hours with friends
Some DELICIOUS Indian food
And one movie at a theater...


But now it is GREAT to be home. I really missed Peter and the kids.

Today another day of housekeeping and cleaning.

Yesterday there were some exciting developments at Eternal Love all church meeting. I will tell about that tomorrow.

Two Posts in One Day?!

I have been working on bulk cooking. I have done it for a month here and I am totally sold on the idea. It makes meal time so easy. I love not having that "Oh my goodness what am I going to make for dinner?" feeling all afternoon!

I have been cooking once a week. On Sunday or Saturday when Peter is home, he practices the guitar and the children play outside and I hit the kitchen.

The basic idea is to do all your prep on a larger scale to make more meals. It is nice to not have to wash the prep dishes 30 times when you can just do them one or two times- especially without a dishwasher! ;) I love just reheating something and then only having plates and cups to wash after meal time! So when you are going to brown beef for tacos, you go ahead and brown a big portion and make 3 meals instead of one. You have just saved yourself washing that frying pan and spatula 3 times. Or if you are going to cut and peel potatoes, do a big portion, keep them in a Tupperware covered with water in the fridge. You just saved yourself the time and effort of finding your peeler and cutting board and washing everything extra times. Then you can throw them in with chicken, make them into baked fries, or make a skillet meal with them. If your going to bake a chicken, bake 2-3 and then shred up the meat and make something else. If you are making a roast make 2 and shred that up too. If you are making a crock pot meal double it and freeze one.

You get the idea. You'll also save on electricity. You'll also save on eating out, because it is easier to pop something into the oven or microwave than to get everybody into the car to go out!

So this week I had a lot of beef (again!) and I was going to make a dinner, I was feeling no motivation to do more. Well instead of just one, I made 5. It takes less time than you think. I was in the kitchen only 1 and a half hours- and that's from scratch cooking. Now my freezer is filled with- calzones, individual pizzas, gyros, meatloaf, hamburgers, spaghetti and baked ziti. Notice they are all kind of the same types of food. Last week I made all Mexican kinds of food and foods with BBQ sauces. So it's still in there ready to eat. I love the feeling of having something done!

I am going to move up to once a month cooking... OAMC. It is really worth it I think. I found a great site... the menus are done, the shopping list is done, the how to prep is listed and I am so glad to pass this information on to all my great friends here.

http://onceamonthmom.com/

These ladies who do this site are totally amazing and I can't believe how much help it is to just go on there print out their ideas and do it. I will keep you posted as I walk the path of OAMC. I have no doubt it is a good idea, the question is will I actually do it?

I am going to UB tonight. I am going on the train and I will buy chicken and cheese--- then I will come home and cook it all up! So have a great weekend. It will be radio silence here for a few days! The kids are staying here with Peter, so I am going with Sharon for a little girl time! :)

Weston's First Science Experiment

Today we read about thunder and lighting. Did you know that as lighting streaks through the air it causes the air around it to heat up and expand. It expands so fast that it makes a noise- thunder!

We did an experiement after reading showing how warm air expands. The video shows Weston putting the waterbottle in hot water and then in cold water.

My favorite new recipe

This is so good. I am making it for the second time in a week. It is easy too. The sauce has a great flavor... we love it.

I made pita bread. It didn't make a pocket, so I used them for gyros. We ate them warm straight out of the oven (because it was 8pm by the time I got done!) They were so good.

Gyros in the Crockpot
Put in your beef (I use about 2 cups worth a small blob of meat- I am the meat rationer!!!) If you use more just up the next ingredients.

Add:
1/4 c water
1/4 c tomato paste
1/8-1/4 cup c flour
sprinkle in basil, rosemary, curry (optional),garlic, and 1/4 t salt.

Let cook until meat is tender. Then shred it up. Serve on gyro bread or in a pita. Top with chopped cucumbers, tomatoes and yogurt. (or lettuce and sour cream!)

Naadam

Men fighting!- love the outfit!


Special ho-shure. They make it all day long during the events!



Many people come from all the small towns to Sukhbaatar (the capital of this province) for the holiday and to watch the events.




Young archer

Naadam is a week of national sporting events. The three sports are horse racing, archery, and wrestling. The competition begins in all the small towns. They begin at the beginning of the week. The tournament winners go to the capital, Ulaanbaatar and compete there. There is one national winner in each competition.

It is nice to have a summer vacation time. Businesses are closed, our school is closed, and Peter is home! I like that part the best.

Walking in Sukhbaatar

The road to our neighborhood


The outdoor market in town

The town square- a view of the apartments

Peter at the town square- government building in the background.

Last week after church some trusted friends of ours took our children home for lunch. Peter and I had a little date and walked through town together. We took some pictures and ate at a cafe. It was nice to have some time to talk and not be interrupted by preschoolers! :)

Sew Cute

Today I made bathrobes for the kids. I had a bee in my bonnet that they needed them! I had some old towels that had a hole in them, so I cut them up and made bathrobes.

The towels were solid blue in the middle and had a floral print on the edges. I used the solid for Weston's and the floral for Sierra's. I edged Weston's in green because he LOVES green.

I got some advice from some homeschoooling friends, because I have no idea what I am doing! I have never sewn clothes before. So after getting some good advice, I made a pattern by taping together some old school papers. I had Weston lay on the paper pattern to check that it was the right size and then I cut the towels and sewed them into bathrobes.

I am a terrible seamstress... I cannot sew well and I am always frustrated with my product. I was happy with today's work though! The kids like them too! They wore them today while they played. Yeah- three hips for mommy!

Happy 4th of July!

We had a good day together. We had Sharon over for the day and had a nice time roasting hotdogs, playing games and making crafts. The kids loved the flag cake that Sharon made.

Our Beauty...

She is so beautiful. I did her hair and dressed her in her new princess pajamas last night so a photo shoot was in order!

Can you believe the hair on that two year old? We've already trimmed it 5" too.

cutting grass with scissors

How's that for a title? I was tired of the long grass in my yard, so I gave Weston a pair of scissors, Sierra a toy dump truck we we spent some time cutting the grass. It looks better, but I felt a little crazy out there snipping away. I am surely the most strange lady on the block.

There is another great title- strangest lady on the block... :0)

Looking forward to 4th of July. Although, that is the day that I am the most homesick. Strange huh? You'd think it'd be Christmas. But on Christmas the kids are opening presents and happy as clams and it it easy to celebrate. Thanksgiving is easy to be distracted making a nice big meal and setting a pretty table for friends. Easter there are egg hunts and baskets for the kids to eat. Maybe we just need a tradition for the 4th so it's not so ho-hum.

It is blah to do the 4th in a different country. No one else even knows you are celebrating. I think about family swimming parties and bbqs and FIREWORKS. wah... ok enough of my little pity party---- :) So light a sparkler for me.